Battlefield Acupressure for Acute Back Pain Management in the Emergency Department

Battlefield Acupressure for Acute Back Pain Management in the Emergency Department: Evaluating Whether Auricular Acupressure Can Reduce Opiate Administration for Painful Conditions

Patients frequently present to the emergency department for treatment of acute pain. In the emergency department, analgesic medications, particularly opiates, are most often the primary and only means of treatment. Alternative therapies such as traditional acupuncture have been studied and utilized in acute care settings; however, the need for extensive training, the use of needles, and state-specific acupuncture licensing requirements have been barriers to widespread use. Battlefield Auricular Acupressure (BAA) is a needle-free five-point technique on the outer ear that has been developed and employed by the military for a variety of painful conditions.

The primary objective of this study is to determine if battlefield auricular acupressure (BAA), compared to a sham procedure, results in a reduction in pain score at 30 minutes and 60 minutes post-intervention, by at least 2 Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) points below their baseline pain score, compared to participants receiving a sham procedure, for adults who present to the emergency department with a chief complaint of back pain and/or low back.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult patient (Age ≥ 18) presenting to the ED
• Chief complaint of back pain and/or low back pain
• Pain score ≥ 4 on 0-10 NRS

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy
• Known allergy to adhesive
• Presence of cochlear implants
• Piercings at one or more of the BAA or sham sites
• Having received analgesic medications within 4 hours of arrival to the ED or prior to intervention
• Preferred language other than Spanish or English
• Presence of a wound, sore, or active infection on the surface of the ear